John henry  wynn



J. H. WYNN. EXPANSIBLE CHAIN OF THE KIND USED ASYBRACELETS. APPLICATIONFILED JUNE 5. 1918.

1,326,81 6. Patented Dec. 30,1919.

min LJML 2 03/2272,

UNITED STATES JOHN HENRY WYNN, OF BIRMINGHAM,- ENGLAND.

EXPANSIBLE CHAIN OF THE KIND USED AS BRACELETS.-

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.:

Application filed June 5, 1918. Serial No. 238,348.

b all whom. it may concern:

lie in known that 1, JOHN HENRY VVYNN, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at 32%;6 Hylton street, in the city of Birmingham,England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ExpansibleChains of the Kind Used as Bracelets, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention provides the hereinafter described and claimedimprovements in expansible chain of the kind used as bracelets andcomprising a succession of pairs of outer links connected by asuccession of middle links, with which may be combined thickening up ordistancing links for the purpose of obtaining a broader pattern ofchain, some of said links containing coiled springs operating incompression to provide the resiliency in the chain.

The invention provides for a maximum amount of expansion, preferablywithout fully compressing the springs, and uses a single coiled spring,in each outer link only. The essential feature of the invention is theemployment in combination with each spring, aforesaid, of a connectingpiece which is substantially a straight bar having oppositely bent rightangled ends, the one end of this piece providing an abutment for the oneend of a spring, and the other end of said piece positively connectingwith a middle link, preferably to the extreme inner end of the latter,the action of the chain in expanding being that as each two middle links(workingbetween a pair of outer links) move apart the two springscontained in the links of each outer pair are put into furthercompression in reverse directions.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying sheet of drawingsapplied to a narrow pattern of chain, and to a wider pattern usingthickening up or distancing links.

Figure 1 is a plan of a chain portion partly expanded.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of Fig. 2 on the dotted lines BB, lookingto the right.

Fig. 4: shows a plan section of a pair of outer links separate.

Fig. 5 is a plan section of a middle link separate.

Fig. 6 shows three views of a connecting piece separate.

Fig. 7 is a plan of a chain portion using thickening up or distancinglinks.

With reference to Figs. 1 to 6 a are the outer links, (1 are the middlelinks, 6 are the connecting pieces, and f the springs. Two outer linksa. a are oppositely coupled to form a pair by a transverse bar g appliedto the under faces of said links so that both inks of a pair form arigid piece, but said bar may be the last piece applied in assemblingthe chain while the various links, springs, and connecting pieces aresuitably held in assembled positions. Each link a, which is hollow tocontain one of the coiled springs f, is entirely closed except for itsfull length inner side a which is left open. Each spring 7 under normalcompression extends approximately the full interior length of each linka.

The middle links 0! may be either hollow or solid as they do not'containsprings, but each at its extreme ends is formed with a transverse hole(Z Two of saidmiddle links slidably work withinv theparallel space itbetween two links of an outer pair in a well known manner.

The connecting piece 6 issubstantially a straight bar having oppositelybentright angled ends 0 0 The end 0 ofthis'piece engages a transversehole (Z in a middle link (if, and the end 6 ofsaid piece provides anabutment for the one end of a spring Two of these connecting pieces areused for each pair of outer links to form resilient connect-ors betweenthe middle links 05 and the outer links a, each connecting pieceoperating against one spring'only, and those of a pair of outer links inopposite directions against the springs. That part of each connectingpiece between its right angle ends works within the open inner side a ofits particular outer link a, and therefore said connecting piece in itssliding movement within the outer link on expanding the chain will moveagainst the one end a of an outer link as a stop limiting the expansionofthe chain and insuring that the springs f shall never be fullycompressed, that is to say, shall not be unduly strained, which has theeffect of maintaining the effective resiliency of the spring action. Ifan abnormal expansion of the chain is desired the sliding movement ofthe connecting pieces need not be stopped. or limited, but allowed totake place until the full conupression of the springs has been efiectedin which case the sliding movement of the connecting pieces may still beguided by sliding through gaps in the ends a of the outer links, whichgap engagements will prevent displacement of the middle links fromalinement with the spaces h.

The right angled end 0 of the connecting piece may pivot within thetransverse hole (Z of a middle link, and may be secured in itsengagement therewith by turning in the extremity of said end afterengagement with the middle link, as shown at c.

The operations of the springs and connecting pieces will be clear fromthe drawings, it being obvious that if the chain length represented byFigs. 1 and 2 contracts two middle links (Z will approach each other andabut at their ends in the middle of the length or the spaces h, and eachend 6 oi a connecting piece will move up to the one end of an outer linkas a stop against the action of the spring.

In Fig. 7 the springs and connecting pieces 0 are combined with theouter and middle links to operate in exactly the same manner asdescribed with reference to Figs. 1 to 6, but in order to provide abroader pattern of chain thickening up or distancing links are used; forexample 2' is a thickening up link to the pair of outer links a a, samebeing rigidly fixed to the bar 9 and longitudinally slotted between itsends so that the right angled end 0 of the connecting piece may freelythread therethrough and work herein, while on and "/2 are thickening uplinks to the middle links (Z (Z, same being aranged so that the rightangled ends 0 of the connecting pieces also engage them, said rightangled ends being made longer than in the case of the narrower patternchain, Figs. 1 to 6, for this purpose.

Having now described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. An expansible chain crunprising a succession ofpairs of outer hollow links, a plurality of middle links movably mountedbetween the pairs of outer links, a spring inclosed in each outer link,and two connecting pieces between the springs of each pair of outerlinks and the ends of the middle links between the pairs of outer links,each connecting piece consisting of a straight bar having reversely bentangular ends, one

angular end engaging the inner end of each middle link and the remainingangular end engaging one end of one of the springs, the connectingpieces working in reverse directions relatively to the springs in eachpair of outer links.

2. An expansible chain comprising a succession of pairs of outer hollowlinks having connecting means between them, a successsion of middlelinks working between the pairs of outer links, a spring mounted forfree compression in each outer link, and two connecting pieces, one foreach outer link, the connecting pieces being freely movable in the innerportions of the outer links and having reversely bent angular ends, theconnecting pieces being individually connected at their inner ends tothe middle links between each pair oi outer links and also having theirouter ends engaging the springs in each pair of outer links and movablein reverse directions to oppositely compress the springs in each pair ofouter links.

3. An expanding chain of the class'speci fied comprising a succession ofpairs of outer links having inner open sides, each pair of outer linkshaving transverse connecting means between them, a succession of middlelinks between the pairs of outer links a spring mounted in each outerlink and free to move longitudinally in the latter, and a connectingpiece consisting of a straight bar having its inner end angularly bentand pivoted to the end of one middle link between each pair of outerlinks and its outer end also angularly bent and extending into the oneouter link and engaging one end of the spring in the latter, theconnecting pieces being reversely arranged and also reverselycompressing the spring and movable in the inner open ends of the pairsof outer links.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN HENRY VVYNll.

Witnesses:

GEO. IFUERY, D. LEAKER.

